The average home in Rahway, assessed at $133,000, paid about $3,350 in municipal taxes last year based on a tax rate of $2.519 per $100 of assessed value. The estimated tax rate in the 2017 budget would be $2.580, projecting for average municipal taxes of $3,431 — an increase of $81. For a property assessed at $266,000, the municipal tax increase would be about $162. This does not include the school or county portions of property tax bills.

JUNE 12 UPDATE: With no comment from the public or its members, City Council approved the 2017 budget by a unanimous 8-0 vote (only 6th Ward Councilman Bob Bresenhan had an excused absence).

Total surplus anticipated to be used in the 2017 budget is $2.2 million, slightly less than the $2.3 million realized in the 2016 budget. The anticipated water utility operating surplus is $1.3 million for 2017, up considerably from the $334,739 anticipated and realized in 2016.

Host community fees from the Union County Utilities Authority (UCUA) are anticipated at $2.35 million in 2017 and excess tonnage fees are anticipated at $350,000. Those two categories were $2.65 million and $109,810 in 2016, respectively.

Total spending is up about 1.66 percent, from $53.3 million to $54.182 million. Revenues are up less than 1 percent, from $16.59 million to $16.741 million. The total tax levy — the amount to be raised through property taxes — is up less than 2 percent, from $36.709 million to $37.441 million, making up about 69 percent of the revenue side of the budget.

Total salaries and wages were up about 1.99 percent, from $21.739 million to $22.172 million. Total debt service was essentially flat, $6.235 million last year compared to a proposed $6.248 million this year. Other expenses within departments actually will see a decline of 1.27 percent, from $16.298 million last year to $16.091 million in 2017.